


The Fourth, The Fifth

by commander_hot_pants



Category: Valor Series - Tanya Huff
Genre: Comfort, Gen, Multi, Sappy, Song Lyrics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-21
Updated: 2017-10-21
Packaged: 2019-01-16 23:25:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12352704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/commander_hot_pants/pseuds/commander_hot_pants
Summary: It came to them in quiet moments between frenzies of bullets and the mania of battle. It united them in an intimate moment all of Sh’quo shared.





	The Fourth, The Fifth

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to TheDuchessUnseen for giving this a pre-read for opinions (and for encouraging my valor b/s). 
> 
> This hasnt been beta'd for grammar or spelling, thats all on me being lazy.

Binti was the one who heard it first, and she heard it from the source. With Haysole’s head resting on her bare stomach and his fingers circling tips of her hip bone. Haysole was always humming, even on the field he was singing to himself. Maybe some people found it annoying, but Binti had always thought it cute. The sound of Haysole’s song of the week always brought her comfort.

“Whats that?” She mumbled, her long fingers lost in the gently moving flow of his hair. “What are you singing?”

“Its an old earth song,” He pressed a kiss to her and inhaled her scent, “ _ Well it goes like this: the fourth, the fifth, _ ” His soft lips moving on her damp skin was enough to render his masker pointless, “ _ the minor fall and the major lift. _ ”

Though Haysole had a nice voice, Binti could think of several ways she’d rather he use his mouth at that moment. And after another line sung he showed her a few ways she hadn't even thought of. 

The damn song was stuck in her head their entire next deployment. She didn't know all the words, she just kept humming the same verse over and over, its gentle notes reminding her of the intimate time she had gotten to spend with her close friend. Everytime he caught her susurrations, Haysole sent her a knowing grin and joined in. 

“Mashona, if you do not shut yourself the hell up I will come over there and do it for you.” Binti glanced at the open lane between her and Staff Sergeant Kerr, imagined the Sergeant actually risking fire to shove a sock in her mouth and straightened up.

“Sorry Staff, its these damn quiet stretches. I’m itching for some action.” 

“I know,” In the dim light she could see Kerr glare over her shoulder as though daring the enemy to come out, “Wish they’d fukking shoot at us already.” 

About two hours later, she caught a dozing Kerr humming the same tune and for a second Binti had to wonder… but she was quite sure Kerr was the only marine in the company who hadn't slept with Haysole. Kerr had a strict rule of not making bunk mates with her squad- even the di’Taykan. 

The song drifted in and out of relevance for a while, all of Sh’quo company humming a variation at one point or another. Even Lieutenant di’Ka had a verse or two drift from his lips. It came to them in quiet moments between frenzies of bullets and the mania of battle. It united them in an intimate moment all of Sh’quo shared.

Then the song stopped all together. Gathered around a table, beers clenched in their fists like their lives depended on it, Binti’s shoulder right against Mysho’s they all silently drown in the silence Haysole left them. 

There was no more humming, not for Sh’quo.

But there was still humming for Craig Ryder. And as artificial lights woke Torin slowly so did the gentle sound of Craigs voice floating through the tiny cabin of the Promise. Craig often sung to himself, a habit he picked up after years of solo living. It neither bothered, nor enticed Torin Kerr, it was just part of the ambience of time with Craig. But today, half asleep and fully naked on the tiny cot of the Promise she focused on the familiar tune.

“ _ Maybe there’s a God above, but all I’ve ever learned from love was how to shoot somebody who outdrew y’ah. _ ” She felt him jump as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders from behind, then he relaxed under her touch.

“Keep going,” She murmured into the slightly damp hair at the base of his neck, “Keep singing for me.” He chuckled and spun in the helm chair until she dropped into his lap.

“ _ And its not a cry that you hear at night, its not somebody who's seen the light, its a cold and its a broken Hallelujah.”  _ She kissed him. For what seemed like the one hundredth kiss of this two week shoreleave she kissed his soft lips and did not relent until the need to breathe overcame her. 

“You like my singing?” She could hear a pet name hand silently in the pause and for once it didn’t bother her. 

“I like your singing.” Torin mumbled. He didn't get a chance to sing it again that shore leave. And after the prison, they’d both forgotten.

It was one quiet night in susumi space. Binti was restless as she peeled herself off of Alamber to fetch a pouch of water. As she grabbed a pouch (and a small bag of cookies Alamber would appreciate come morning) a familiar, almost forgotten melody floated from the helms room. 

“ _ Well baby I have been here before, I’ve seen these rooms and I’ve walked these floors. You know I used to live alone before I know y’ah. _ ”  The sound found an instant hold on her gut and her head whipped to the side so quickly she nearly lost balance. It had been years since she’d last heard that song, but it had never completely left her. 

She followed it to the source, Craig sitting hunched over the board. Before she could approach him, a hand tucked itself into hers from the shadows, and she turned into Torin’s embrace. 

She inhaled Torin’s neck,, pushed her hands up under her tunic, and felt Torins hands grab fistfulls of her tshirt, pulling their bodies as tight as possible. She felt rather than heard Torin humming along. 

Binti had to admit, Craig sang it much better than either of them ever had. His voice was not unlike the smell of Torins hair, natural but sweet and undeniably a feeling of home. 


End file.
